Long range beamforming and steering in wireless communication links

ABSTRACT

An apparatus includes a transceiver circuit, an antenna and a focus array. The transceiver circuit may have a plurality of fed channels configured to generate a plurality of signals. The antenna may have a plurality of antenna arrays configured to generate one or more beams in response to the signals. Each antenna array may (i) have a plurality of subarrays and (ii) be coupled to the fed channels of the transceiver circuit. The focus array may have a plurality of focal zones configured to reflect the beams into a beam zone. Each beam may be steerable by the antenna to one of the focal zones at a time. The focal zones may redirect the beams to a plurality of locations within the beam zone.

This application relates to U.S. Ser. No. 15/850,136, filed Dec. 21,2017, which relates to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/547,608,filed Aug. 18, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to wireless communications generally and, moreparticularly, to a method and/or apparatus for implementing long rangebeamforming and steering in wireless communication links.

BACKGROUND

In conventional wireless communication systems, achieving fast beamsteering can be difficult due to inherent limitations with phase andamplitude programming, computation, and settling time. Achieving longrange, wireless communication links with high data rates can also bedifficult. At a systems level, the conventional approach for high datarates over longer ranges utilizes high gain antennas. A challenge is acost effective deployment of the high gain, narrow beam width antennasin the wireless communication systems. The narrow beam width antennasinvolve precision alignment at deployment.

It would be desirable to implement long range beamforming and steeringin wireless communication links.

SUMMARY

The invention concerns an apparatus including a transceiver circuit, anantenna and a focus array. The transceiver circuit may have a pluralityof fed channels configured to generate a plurality of signals. Theantenna may have a plurality of antenna arrays configured to generateone or more beams in response to the signals. Each antenna array may (i)have a plurality of subarrays and (ii) be coupled to the fed channels ofthe transceiver circuit. The focus array may have a plurality of focalzones configured to reflect the beams into a beam zone. Each beam may besteerable by the antenna to one of the focal zones at a time. The focalzones may redirect the beams to a plurality of locations within the beamzone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the followingdetailed description and the appended claims and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a typical phased array system utilizinga patch array;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an RF transceiver antenna array module;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fed antenna array;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a long range communication system inaccordance with an example embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a beam zone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention include providing a method and/orapparatus for implementing long range beamforming and steering inwireless communication links that may (i) utilize a frequency dependentphase offset antenna array coupled with a tiled reflector and/ortransmit array, (ii) utilize fast beam steering, (iii) achieve longrange communication delivering very high capacity, (iv) utilizepre-loaded lookup tables to enable very fast beam steering, (v) be usedin high data rate communications links, (vi) be implemented as part of a5G wireless communications network, (vii) utilize reflector/transmitarrays to improve the steering and beam forming, (viii) provide timedivision duplex operations and/or (ix) be implemented with one or moreintegrated circuits.

Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram illustrating a typical phased arraysystem 90 is shown. The phased array system 90 utilizes a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver 92 and a patch array 94. The patch array 94may be configured as an N×M element array. The phased array system 90may generate one or more radio-frequency beams at a time.

Referring to FIG. 2, a diagram illustrating an example of a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver antenna array module 100 in accordance withan example embodiment of the invention is shown. The RF transceiverantenna array module 100 may be configured to operate with radio,millimeter, and/or microwave frequencies. In various embodiments, the RFtransceiver antenna array module 100 may form part of a long rangecommunications link. The long range communications link may be part of afifth generation (5G) wireless communications system. In an example, theRF transceiver antenna array module 100 may comprise a block (orcircuit) 102 and a block (or circuit) 104.

The circuit 102 may implement an RF transceiver circuit 102. In anexample, the RF transceiver 102 may comprise a number (e.g., M) of fedchannels 103. The RF transceiver 102 may comprise a gain, amplitude andphase lookup table (G/A/P LUT) 120. Gain values, amplitude values andphase values/parameters for beamforming may be pre-loaded into the G/A/PLUT 120 enabling very fast beam steering (e.g., approximately 30nanoseconds) when implemented as part of a beamsteering network. Thegain values, the amplitude values and the phase values may be copiedinto the fed channels 103 of the RF transceiver 102 to determine RF beampatterns created by the circuit 104.

The circuit 104 may implement an antenna array circuit 104. The antennaarray 104 may comprise a number (e.g., M) of fed antenna arrays 106. Insome embodiments, the number of fed antenna arrays 106 may be similar tothe number of feed channels 103 in the RF transceiver 102. In variousembodiments, multiple antenna arrays 106 may be coupled to a signal feedchannel 103. Each fed antenna array 106 may include multiple antennaelements 108. The M fed channels 103 of the RF transceiver 102 may becoupled by corresponding bidirectional signals to the M fed antennaarrays 106 to implement an M-way antenna array module.

Each fed antenna array 106 may include multiple antenna elements 108used for both transmission and reception. Each fed antenna array 106 mayhave a relative spatial offset 110 with respect to another (e.g., aneighboring) fed antenna array 106 along an axis (e.g., a horizontalaxis as illustrated in FIG. 2). The offset 110 generally provides animproved two dimensional (e.g., horizontal and vertical as illustrated)control of the beam patterns compared with the patch array 94. Any orall of the fed antenna arrays 106 of the antenna array 104 may beswitchable between a transmit mode and a receive mode in conjunctionwith any or all of the M fed channels 103 of the RF transceiver 102 tosend and receive the signals.

Referring to FIG. 3, a diagram illustrating a fed antenna array 106 inaccordance with an example embodiment of the invention is shown. In anexample, each fed antenna array 106 may support B subarrays 112 (e.g.,horizontal subarrays as illustrated). Each subarray 112 may include Nantenna elements 108. The B×N antenna elements 108 within each fedantenna array 106 may be utilized for beam forming and/or shaping. Eachof the B subarrays 112 may be frequency dependent. Each of the Bsubarrays 112 may be resonant based on a desired frequency band. The Nantenna elements 108 within each fed antenna array 106 may be spatiallyaligned with respect to each other in two dimensions (e.g., horizontaland vertical as illustrated).

In an example embodiment, the antenna array 104 may comprise a set ofantenna arrays (e.g., M×B×N antennas 108), where each fed antenna array106 may feed the subarrays 112. In an example, each fed antenna array106 may be active or inactive enabling a spatial shift in a phase centerof the beam source from the array 104. The B×N individual antennaelements 108 in each of the B subarrays 112 may be utilized for beamforming and/or beam shaping. Each of the B subarrays 112 may befrequency dependent. Each of the B subarrays 112 may be resonant basedon a desired frequency band. The N antenna elements 108 in each subarray112 may be switchable to any of the M fed channels 103 within the RFtransceiver 102.

Referring to FIG. 4, a diagram is shown illustrating a long rangecommunication system 200 in accordance with an example embodiment of theinvention. In various embodiments, the system 200 may utilize one ormore frequency dependent phase offset antenna array modules coupled withone or more reflector arrays and/or transmit arrays (both referred to asfocus arrays) and fast beam steering, where the phase offset antennaarray modules may be tiled to achieve a long range communication systemdelivering very high capacity. In various embodiments, thereflector/transmit arrays may be tiled. In other embodiments, thereflector/transmit arrays may not be tiled. The communication may bebidirectional between the system 200 and devices (or transceivers)serviced by the system 200. In various embodiments, the communicationmay be time division duplex (TDD) communication.

In an example, the system 200 may comprise a number of RF transceiverantenna array modules 100 a-100 k and a number of reflector arrays (RAs)150 a-150 l, also known as reflect arrays. In various embodiments, theRF transceiver antenna array modules 100 a-100 k are generallyimplemented similarly to the RF transceiver antenna array module 100described above in connection with FIG. 2. In other embodiments, the RFtransceiver antenna array modules 100 a-100 k may be implementedsimilarly to the phased array system 90 described above in connectionwith FIG. 1.

In each of the RF transceiver antenna array modules 100 a-100 k, each ofthe M fed antenna arrays 106 may be active or inactive (illustrated inFIG. 4 by crosshatching) enabling a spatial shift in a phase center 180of the beam source from the array 106. Very fine tuning and/or steeringmay be achieved by finely adjusting the phase center 180 created by theantenna array (e.g., 104 a). Each antenna fed array 106 supports B×Nantenna elements 108 for beam forming and/or beam shaping. Each of the Bsubarrays 112 may be frequency dependent and be resonant based on thedesired frequency band. Each subarray 112 may have N antenna elements108 switchable to any of the M fed channels 103 in a corresponding RFtransceiver 102 a-102 k. Each neighboring antenna fed array 106 may havethe relative spatial offset 110 with respect to one another.

The multiple RF transceiver antenna array modules 100 a-100 k may betiled to create a larger antenna array. Each of the RF transceiverantenna array modules 100 a-100 k may comprise a gain, amplitude andphase lookup table (G/A/P LUT) 120 a-120 k, similar to the G/A/P LUT 120(see FIG. 2). The gain values, the amplitude values and the phase valuesfor the beamforming network may be pre-loaded into the G/A/P LUTs 120a-120 k in the individual RF transceivers 102 a-102 k enabling very fastbeam steering.

Each reflector array 150 a-150 l may comprise multiple focal zones 152a-152 f. In various embodiments, each focal zone 152 a-152 f may have aunique geometry that establishes unique properties of focus, gain, angleof arrival (AoA), angle of departure (AoD) and/or beam shape relative tothe other focal zones 152 a-152 f. In some embodiments, some to all ofthe focal zones 152 a-152 f may share a common geometry and commonproperties of focus, gain, angle of arrival and angle of departure.Generally, each focal zone 152 a-152 f of an individual reflector array150 a-150 l may be associated with a respective location 192 a-192within the beam zone 190. In some example implementations, anorganization of the sub-geometries that create a particular focal zonemay be printed and/or completely passive. In other exampleimplementations, the sub-geometries may be actively reconfiguredelectronically and/or reconfigured by mechanical devices (e.g., rotationrelative to the feed on the RF transceiver antenna array modules 100a-100 k).

In various embodiments, each array 150 a-150 l may implement a transmitarray (TA), also known as a transmit array. The beams 182 a-182 n may betransmitted through substrates of the transmit arrays, instead ofreflecting off the surfaces of the reflector arrays 150 a-150 l. By anature of the transmit array pattern, the beams 182 a-182 n may bemodified (e.g., concentrated and/or steered) by focal zones in transmitarrays, similar to the concentrating and/or steering in the reflectorarrays 150 a-150 l. The reflector arrays and the transmit arrays mayboth be referred to as focus arrays.

Each RF transceiver antenna array module 100 a-100 k may be used inconjunction with a respective one of the reflector arrays 150 a-150 l.Each reflector array 150 a-150 l may be aligned with the RF transceiverantenna array modules 100 a-100 k to direct one or more beams 182 a-182n into a beam zone 190. The beam zone 190 may contain multiple locations(or positions) 192 a-192 n. In an example, a beam 182 a may beestablished between the RF transceiver antenna array module 100 a andthe location 192 a. Another beam 182 b may be established between the RFtransceiver antenna array module 100 k and the location 192 a. Thelocation 192 n may be linked with the RF transceiver antenna arraymodule 100 a by a beam 182 m and with the RF transceiver antenna arraymodule 100 k by a beam 182 n.

The locations 192 a-192 n may be designed to provide communicationservices with multiple devices (or transceivers) 194 a-194 within thebeam zone 190. Some locations 192 a-192 n may be placed at or near fixed(or immobile) devices (e.g., 194 a), such as buildings and/or relaytowers. Other locations 192 a-192 n may be placed at or near roads,sidewalks and other structures where the devices 194 a-194 n are likelyto be mobile (e.g., 194 n).

The beams 182 a-182 n of the RF transceiver antenna array modules 100a-100 k may be steered to the desired focal zones 152 a-152 f of thereflector arrays 150 a-150 l and subsequently reflected to the desiredlocations 192 a-192 n. Generally, each beam 182 a-182 n illuminates asingle focal zone 152 a-152 f at a time. The focal zones 152 a-152 f mayfocus and shape the beams 182 a-182 n to provide a higher overall gainas seen at the locations 192 a-192 n. Shifting the phase center 180 of abeam source (e.g., beam 182 a) of the RF transceiver antenna arraymodules 100 a-100 k generally enables super fine steering of the beam inthe resultant beam zone 190. Adjusting the beam directions 181 a-181 n(e.g., the beam 182 a may be steered from a direction 181 a to adirection 181 m) to different focal zones 152 a-152 f on the reflectorarrays 150 a-150 l generally results in coarse or spot steering of thebeams in the beam zone 190 (illustrated by the dashed ellipses). Theoverall gain of the antenna arrays 104 a-104 k and the reflector arrays150 a-150 k of the system 200 generally results in very long rangelinks.

Referring to FIG. 5, a diagram of an example beam zone 190 is shown froma horizontal point of view. The beam zone 190 may be three dimensional(e.g., horizontal, vertical and height). In the example, the beam zone190 is divided into multiple regions (or areas) 196 a-196 n. Each area196 a-196 n generally corresponds to at least one location 192 a-192 n(see FIG. 4) within the beam zone 190. The beam zone 190 may includemultiple structures, such as a building 200 and a street 202.

Some of the regions 196 a-196 n may be overlapping (e.g., 196 g and 196h). Other regions 196 a-196 n may be non-overlapping (e.g., 196 a and196 b). Some regions 196 a-196 n may be serviced by a single RFtransceiver antenna array module 100 a-100 k. Other regions 196 a-196 nmay be simultaneously serviced by two or more RF transceiver antennaarray modules 100 a-100 k.

The geometries (or shapes) and dimensions of the regions 196 a-196 n aregenerally determined by the focal zones 152 a-152 f of the reflectorarrays 150 a-150 l. A geometry of the regions 196 a-196 n is generallyoval (or elliptical). A major axis of the ovals may be horizontal (e.g.,region 196 n), vertical (e.g., region 196 e) or at any other angle. Invarious embodiments, one or more regions 196 a-196 n may be allocated tothe structures within the beam zone 190. In the example, the building200 may be within the region 196 e. In other examples, the building 200may be divided among several regions 196 a-196 n with smaller regionscovering portions of the building 200 commonly having higher numbers ofdevices 194 a-194 n. In another example, the road 202 may be serviced bythe region 196 n within the beam zone 190. Other configurations, numbersand shapes of the regions may be implemented to meet the design criteriaof a particular application.

The functions and structures illustrated in the diagrams of FIGS. 1 to 5may be designed, modeled, emulated, and/or simulated using one or moreof a conventional general purpose processor, digital computer,microprocessor, microcontroller, distributed computer resources and/orsimilar computational machines, programmed according to the teachings ofthe present specification, as will be apparent to those skilled in therelevant art(s). Appropriate software, firmware, coding, routines,instructions, opcodes, microcode, and/or program modules may readily beprepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the presentdisclosure, as will also be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart(s). The software is generally embodied in a medium or several media,for example non-transitory storage media, and may be executed by one ormore of the processors sequentially or in parallel.

Embodiments of the present invention may also be implemented in one ormore of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), FPGAs (fieldprogrammable gate arrays), PLDs (programmable logic devices), CPLDs(complex programmable logic device), sea-of-gates, ASSPs (applicationspecific standard products), and integrated circuits. The circuitry maybe implemented based on one or more hardware description languages.Embodiments of the present invention may be utilized in connection withflash memory, nonvolatile memory, random access memory, read-onlymemory, magnetic disks, floppy disks, optical disks such as DVDs and DVDRAM, magneto-optical disks and/or distributed storage systems.

The terms “may” and “generally” when used herein in conjunction with“is(are)” and verbs are meant to communicate the intention that thedescription is exemplary and believed to be broad enough to encompassboth the specific examples presented in the disclosure as well asalternative examples that could be derived based on the disclosure. Theterms “may” and “generally” as used herein should not be construed tonecessarily imply the desirability or possibility of omitting acorresponding element.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various changes in form and details may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a transceivercircuit comprising a plurality of channels configured to generate aplurality of signals; a plurality of antenna arrays configured togenerate a plurality of beams in response to said signals, wherein eachof said antenna arrays is coupled to said channels of said transceivercircuit; and a focus array comprising a plurality of focal zonesconfigured to reflect said beams into a beam zone, wherein (i) each ofsaid beams is steerable by said antenna arrays to one of said focalzones at a time, (ii) said focal zones redirect said beams to aplurality of locations within said beam zone and (iii) said transceivercircuit is further configured to (a) coarsely redirect one of said beamsto a particular one of said locations in said beam zone and (b) finelysteer one of said beams within said particular location by adjusting aphase center.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidtransceiver circuit, said plurality of antenna arrays and said focusarray form a 5G wireless communications system.
 3. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said focal zones have a plurality ofpatterns that determine a geometry of said beams at said locations. 4.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver circuit isfurther configured to receive another signal transmitted from a devicein said beam zone.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidtransceiver circuit is configured to operate a plurality of antennaelements of said antenna arrays for one or more of (i) forming of saidbeams and (ii) shaping of said beams.
 6. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein: each of said antenna arrays comprises a plurality ofsubarrays; each of said subarrays comprises a plurality of antennaelements; each of said antenna arrays has a relative spatial offset withrespect to another of said antenna arrays; and each of said subarrays is(i) frequency dependent and (ii) resonant based on a frequency band. 7.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said focal zones isassociated with a respective one of said locations within said beamzone.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) saidtransceiver circuit comprises a lookup table configured to store aplurality of gain values, a plurality of amplitude values and aplurality of phase values used by said channels and (ii) said channelsuse said gain values, said amplitude values and said phase values tocontrol steering of said beams among said focal zones of said focusarray.
 9. A system comprising: a plurality of transceiver antenna arraymodules each comprising (a) a transceiver circuit and (b) an antenna,wherein (i) each of said transceiver circuits comprises a plurality ofchannels, (ii) each of said antennas is coupled to said channelscorresponding to one of said transceiver circuits and (iii) each of saidantennas is configured to generate a plurality of beams; and a pluralityof focus arrays each comprising a plurality of focal zones configured toreflect said beams into a beam zone, wherein (i) each of said beams issteerable by said antennas to one of said focal zones at a time, (ii)said focal zones redirect said beams to a plurality of locations withinsaid beam zone and (iii) said transceiver antenna array modules areconfigured to (a) coarsely redirect one of said beams to a particularone of said locations in said beam zone and (b) finely steer one of saidbeams within said particular location by adjusting a phase center. 10.The system according to claim 9, wherein said transceiver antenna arraymodules and said focus arrays are configured to form a long rangecommunications link.
 11. The system according to claim 10, wherein saidlong range communications link is part of a 5G wireless communicationssystem.
 12. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid focal zones in at least two of said focus arrays are configured toredirect said beams to a common one of said locations within said beamzone.
 13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said focus arrays areconfigured to redirect said beams in three dimensions within said beamzone.
 14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said antennas areconfigured to steer said beams in two dimensions across said focusarrays.
 15. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid beams is received by at least one device that is mobile.
 16. Thesystem according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said beams isreceived by at least one device that is stationary.
 17. The systemaccording to claim 16, wherein said at least one device is configured totransmit a signal that is received by a corresponding one of saidtransceiver circuits.
 18. The system according to claim 9, wherein eachof said focal zones is associated with a respective one of saidlocations within said beam zone.
 19. An apparatus comprising: atransceiver circuit comprising a plurality of channels configured togenerate a plurality of signals; a plurality of antenna arraysconfigured to generate a plurality of beams in response to said signals,wherein (i) each of said antenna arrays (a) comprises a plurality ofsubarrays and (b) is coupled to said channels of said transceivercircuit, (ii) each of said subarrays comprises a plurality of antennaelements and (iii) each of said antenna arrays has a relative spatialoffset with respect to another of said antenna arrays; and a focus arraycomprising a plurality of focal zones configured to reflect said beamsinto a beam zone, wherein (i) each of said beams is steerable by saidantenna arrays to one of said focal zones at a time and (ii) said focalzones redirect said beams to a plurality of locations within said beamzone.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said transceivercircuit, said antenna arrays and said focus array form a 5G wirelesscommunications system.